Method and apparatus for displaying the temperature of an object

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying the temperature of an object using an infrared thermometer capable of displaying a measured temperature by projection onto the object being measured are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An infrared thermometer for projecting a temperature measurement onto an object being measured, the infrared thermometer comprising:
 an infrared thermopile with a field of view for determining a measured temperature of an object;   a light path including a visible light source, an aperture, and a dynamic display disposed between the visible light source and the aperture, wherein the dynamic display produces a pattern indicative of the measured temperature, the pattern including an optically transparent pattern and an optically opaque pattern wherein visible light from the light source travels through the optically transparent pattern to project a displayed image that is indicative of the measured temperature through the aperture; and   a display controller for controlling the dynamic display to alter the pattern to be indicative of the measured temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The infrared thermometer as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic display is a liquid crystal display. 
     
     
         3 . The infrared thermometer as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the optically opaque pattern is the measured temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The infrared thermometer as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the optically transparent pattern is the measured temperature. 
     
     
         5 . A handheld infrared thermometer for projecting a temperature measurement onto an object being measured, the thermometer comprising:
 an infrared thermopile with a field of view for determining a measured temperature of an object;   a light path including a visible light source, an aperture, and a liquid crystal display disposed between the visible light source and the aperture, wherein the liquid crystal display produces a pattern indicative of the measured temperature, the pattern including an optically transparent pattern and an optically opaque pattern wherein visible light from the light source travels through the optically transparent pattern to project a displayed image that is indicative of the measured temperature through the aperture; and   a display controller for controlling the liquid crystal display to alter the pattern to be indicative of the measured temperature.   
     
     
         6 . The handheld infrared thermometer as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a power supply operatively connected to the infrared thermopile, the display controller and the liquid crystal display 
     
     
         7 . The handheld infrared thermometer as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising an analog-to-digital converter for relaying the measured temperature from the infrared thermopile to the display controller. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld infrared thermometer as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising an external surface with a display operatively connected to the display controller. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld infrared thermometer as recited in  claim 8 , the external surface further comprising at least one measurement button. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld infrared thermometer as recited in  claim 9 , the external surface further comprising at least one navigation button. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld infrared thermometer as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the field of view and the displayed image overlap. 
     
     
         12 . A method for measuring the temperature of an object, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining the measured temperature of a section of an object;   generating on a display a pattern that is indicative of the measured temperature, the pattern including an optically transparent pattern and an optically opaque pattern; and   projecting a displayed image that is indicative of the measured temperature onto the object by permitting visible light to travel from a light source through the optically transparent pattern to project the displayed image onto the object, wherein the displayed image is indicative of the measured temperature.   
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the dynamic display is a liquid crystal display. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the optically opaque pattern is the measured temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the optically transparent pattern is the measured temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising the step of selecting the predetermined size of the displayed image. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising the step of depressing a measurement button wherein the temperature of the section is continually measured and the displayed image is continually updated while the measurement button is depressed.